Ghost Questions

[Tvtyrant]

I am running a ghost of a little girl (commoner 1 ghost) who wants the party to bring her the man who killed her (a gangster who is trying to take over a town using arson.) They think she is going to stop being a ghost when she sees her killer brought to justice, but she is going to occupy his body and use it to leave the area she is attached to.

I'm not sure how much of her ghost powers she is going to retain in her human body? I want it to be all creepy and exorcisty, but I don't know if she can still fly/walk through walls.

[CaladanMoonblad]

The SRD Ghost (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ghost.htm) doesn't have possession. Are you using homebrew or a variant ghost of some kind?

If it's homebrew, I'd suggest retaining the mental stats of the ghost, and the physical stats of the possessed. I'd also suggest a possessed person shouldn't have ghostly powers unless forced from their bodies. The exorcist was not a ghost, but Legion (a named supernatural entity in the ---censored----.)... so, a demon.

[Tvtyrant]

The SRD Ghost (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ghost.htm) doesn't have possession. Are you using homebrew or a variant ghost of some kind?

If it's homebrew, I'd suggest retaining the mental stats of the ghost, and the physical stats of the possessed. I'd also suggest a possessed person shouldn't have ghostly powers unless forced from their bodies. The exorcist was not a ghost, but Legion (a named supernatural entity in the ---censored----.)... so, a demon.

Yes it does. Look at Malevolence and then track Magic Jar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicJar.htm). It keeps its own mental stats but gains the physical stats of what it possesses. I just need to know if it keeps its own SU and SLA abilities.

Malevolence:
Malevolence (Su)
Once per round, an ethereal ghost can merge its body with a creature on the Material Plane. This ability is similar to a magic jar spell (caster level 10th or the ghost’s Hit Dice, whichever is higher), except that it does not require a receptacle. To use this ability, the ghost must be manifested and it must try move into the target’s space; moving into the target’s space to use the malevolence ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The target can resist the attack with a successful Will save (DC 15 + ghost’s Cha modifier). A creature that successfully saves is immune to that same ghost’s malevolence for 24 hours, and the ghost cannot enter the target’s space. If the save fails, the ghost vanishes into the target’s body.

[CaladanMoonblad]

My bad, apparently my scan was too cursory; however, malevolence does function as I suggested. The ghost "vanishes" into the host's body.

Why would you think a possessed corporeal body could fly or walk through walls? It's corporeal now, with all the problems of a corporeal critter. Better to have that possessed person seek out the latest dragon cave, so the ghost can have a much bigger body to possess.

[MilesTiden]

Well, first of all, I suggest you use the Savage Progression (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040117a) for the ghost. It provides a little bit more explanation for certain abilities, and how to handle the ghost abilities. As for your questions, it depends on what qualifies as 'mental abilities'. Technically, I don't believe that the specific definition of a 'mental ability' is given anywhere, but I would rule that SLAs and SU abilities fall under that term. However, considering both the fly speed and ethereality are EX abilities, I'm fairly certain those would be overridden by the form you take over.

[ArcturusV]

Hmm. It seems you're saying your heroes are going to "bring him to justice". Might just be a factor of most groups I've gamed with, but the phrase "bring them to justice" tends to have less to do with trials and prison, and more to do with the rapid insertion of metallic points and edges into soft flesh.

If they killed the guy, which they probably will since he's so obviously evil and they're on a Vengeance Quest, then wouldn't the Malevolence ability no longer work? I mean corpses aren't "Creatures" necessarily, right?

I suppose if they stay their blades then it won't matter of course. They can just throw him in stocks and have the Ghost possess a guy who's trapped.

If you feel up to something a bit on the wild side, I suppose if they do execute the guy, you could have the Ghost "possess" the corpse and become some sort of corporeal undead. That might actually make for an interesting plot later on. Where the poor, sweet, innocent Ghost Girl they helped ended up being some Mohrg butcher (In part due to the sins of the original villain already damning his body) causing as much havoc as her original killer did. Maybe more.

[Tvtyrant]

Well, first of all, I suggest you use the Savage Progression (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040117a) for the ghost. It provides a little bit more explanation for certain abilities, and how to handle the ghost abilities. As for your questions, it depends on what qualifies as 'mental abilities'. Technically, I don't believe that the specific definition of a 'mental ability' is given anywhere, but I would rule that SLAs and SU abilities fall under that term. However, considering both the fly speed and ethereality are EX abilities, I'm fairly certain those would be overridden by the form you take over.

Fair enough. She gets to keep her SU and SLAs, but not EX. I can live with that. I was hoping for crawling on the ceiling type of activities, but keeping the moan, horrific appearance and telekinesis will be fine.


Hmm. It seems you're saying your heroes are going to "bring him to justice". Might just be a factor of most groups I've gamed with, but the phrase "bring them to justice" tends to have less to do with trials and prison, and more to do with the rapid insertion of metallic points and edges into soft flesh.

If they killed the guy, which they probably will since he's so obviously evil and they're on a Vengeance Quest, then wouldn't the Malevolence ability no longer work? I mean corpses aren't "Creatures" necessarily, right?

I suppose if they stay their blades then it won't matter of course. They can just throw him in stocks and have the Ghost possess a guy who's trapped.

If you feel up to something a bit on the wild side, I suppose if they do execute the guy, you could have the Ghost "possess" the corpse and become some sort of corporeal undead. That might actually make for an interesting plot later on. Where the poor, sweet, innocent Ghost Girl they helped ended up being some Mohrg butcher (In part due to the sins of the original villain already damning his body) causing as much havoc as her original killer did. Maybe more.

Her actual words are "bring him to me so that I can be free." The party can take that how they like, but knowing my players (which I do) they will bring him alive because they are good guys and they want phat lewts. The Lord Mayor is paying them to get rid of her in the first place, so they can rebuild the burnt out building.

[Steward]

They don't have to kill the guy though; they could run the plot with the guy alive or dead as you said. Alive, he can be brought to court and the ghost could possess him during the trial. ("You're out of order!" "This entire coooooourt is out of ooooorrrrddeeerrrrrr! Booooooo!")